The Most Important Things to See on Mykonos

Mykonos is the most popular island of the Cyclades. Everyone knows the pictures of white houses with blue shutters, churches with blue domes, and the iconic windmills. However, the island offers much more than its legendary parties. Let's explore the top attractions on Mykonos!

The heart of the island is Mykonos Town, also known as Chora. The main town looks like it has stepped out of a painting: The famous cube-shaped white houses with blue shutters line up like pearls on a string through the narrow streets of the old town. Chora is both picturesque and dreamy, inviting a new photo opportunity around every corner. In the midst of it all, you'll find countless small taverns, good restaurants, shops and boutiques, and of course bars, clubs, and discos.

The reputation that Mykonos is a party island holds true even in Mykonos Town. If you wish, you can party 24/7 here. However, don't overlook that there's much more than nightlife. You can find fascinating museums, picture-perfect churches in white and blue, and small art galleries featuring Cycladic design. Tip: Matoyianni Street is all about shopping. Here you will find luxury brands, small boutiques, galleries, and plenty of souvenir shops.

One of the most popular photo motifs of Mykonos is located in the Kastro district of the capital. Here stands the Panagia Paraportiani, the most famous church on the island. Characteristic of the church are its white walls and rocky architecture. This sacred building, constructed between the early 15th and 17th centuries, is one of the largest of its kind on the island.

Originally, the church consisted of the smaller chapels of Saint Anargyroi, Saint Anastasia, Saint Eustathios, and Saint Sozon, with the construction of the first chapel starting in 1425. Over time, everything merged into one church. Today, the church houses a folklore museum featuring old photographs, ceramics, musical instruments, textiles, and tools.

Aside from the Panagia Paraportiani, the windmills of Mykonos are the most famous landmark. Known as the Kato Mili, a total of 16 windmills, they are considered the emblem of the island and perch on the Ano Milli hill above the town. Grain was brought from the entire region to be milled here. Up until the early 20th century, flour was still being milled here.

The windmills were constructed during the Venetian rule in the 16th century in the typical Cycladic style. Seven stand on a hill above the capital at the entrance of the harbor in Alefkandra. A few windmills were built in the early 20th century. None are operational today, yet one houses an agricultural museum.

From the Ano Milli hill with its windmills, you have a great view of Little Venice. The houses built directly by the sea in the 17th and 18th centuries are among the most popular tourist attractions on the island. Little Venice consists of the typical white houses with colorful shutters. The picturesque district stretches along the beach promenade in the island's capital, Chora, and is entirely styled in Venetian architecture. Some buildings even have wooden verandas and balconies, similar to those found mainly in Venice. The neighborhood is known for its narrow alleys with many souvenir shops, taverns, and restaurants.

The windmills are the hallmark of Mykonos, but there's another mill that's absolutely worth seeing. The Bonis Windmill is a stone structure from the 16th century, named after its last owner, the miller Georgios Bonis. From the windmill, you can overlook the whole of Mykonos Town and enjoy a great view of the windmills Kato Mili. Right nearby is the Agricultural Museum of Mykonos, an open-air museum focusing on the historical production of bread and wine.

The most renowned museum on Mykonos is located in Mykonos Town: The Archaeological Museum opened in 1902 and covers the culture and history of Mykonos and the Cycladic Islands. You can see ancient exhibits, amphorae, tombstones, ceramic items, as well as jewelry and clay statues from several millennia.

The most intriguing are the artifacts from Delos, one of the most famous sanctuaries of ancient Greece, and items from the 5th century BCE found in 1898 on Rinia.

The Aegean Maritime Museum of Mykonos focuses on historical life at sea. Opened in 1985 in a historic 19th-century building in the Tria Pigadia district, you can discover numerous maritime exhibits here, including the Armenistis Lighthouse built in 1890, now located in the museum's garden. There are also many historic tombstones of sailors from Mykonos and Delos. The museum received the prestigious World Ship Trust's Award and was the first of its kind in Greece.

The mascot of Mykonos is Pelican Petros or his descendants. Petros was rescued badly injured by a fisherman in the 1950s and nursed back to health. Since then, he lived with his rescuer and gradually became tamer. Because he always circled around the harbor area, he became the island's mascot. When he died in 1986, pelicans were reintroduced in Mykonos Town. One is always named Petros. So, while strolling through the town, you may spot the famous Pelican Petros flying overhead. If not, there are plenty of plush and plastic pelicans available in the souvenir shops.

North of Mykonos Town lies the new harbor of Mykonos, named after the coastal town Tourlos. Here, ferries and cruise ships depart daily. Previously, Tourlos was a quiet area, which changed after the construction of the harbor. Now, many yachts anchor in the water and there are luxury homes and villas, including those of celebrities. A trip here is definitely worthwhile, both for a stroll along the harbor, the beach, and the white houses of the village and for the restaurants and clubs: Tourlos is becoming ever more hip!

A magical spot on Mykonos is Cape Armenisti and the Armenistis Lighthouse, which perches on the cliffs. Located in the northwest of the island, the lighthouse was erected in 1891. The bright white tower on the cape creates a unique atmosphere, and the view over the sea is considered unparalleled on Mykonos. Although the lighthouse is only 19 meters high, you can see far across the strait to the island of Tinos. Tip: The original lantern of the lighthouse has been restored. You can view the original in the Aegean Maritime Museum in Mykonos Town.

Parties, celebrities, and palm trees: No other Greek island knows how to party better than Mykonos. Celebrities like Madonna, Mick Jagger, and Sophia Loren came here early on to dance the nights away. Yet, until the 1950s, Mykonos was still a poor island. Over the years, Mykonos has increasingly developed into a luxury and party island - and it is still known as the Ibiza of Greece today: A vacation on Mykonos means party fun!

In the afternoon, many beaches start gearing up for the evening, and after sunset, it's off to the island's hottest bars and clubs. For example, the 'Cavo Paradiso', a 3000 square meter club surrounded by water, the 'Queen of Mykonos Bar', or the 'Caprice Bar' in Little Venice for a cocktail or champagne, or the 'Skandinavian Bar' in the heart of Mykonos Town: with two open-air bars, a courtyard, multiple dance floors, and a VIP area.

Long sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and hyped-up beach bars: Mykonos boasts a 90-kilometer coastline. Between palm trees and parties, you'll quickly hop from one beach to another. But where to start and where to hang out? The most famous party beaches are Paradise Beach and Super Paradise Beach, where mostly under-30s hang out and party directly by the sea or along the promenade in clubs. Psarou Beach is considered the glamour beach.

The motto here is: See and be seen. Just three miles from Mykonos Town, you'll find Hollywood stars, nobles, and the new rich congregating. But it's not all about parties on Mykonos' beaches. If you're seeking more peace and less party, Elia Beach, located about five miles from Mykonos Town, might appeal to you. It's often said to be the most beautiful beach on the island.

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